Mythic Mayhem

With an year or so of road running races, I had never signed up for a trail race. Oh well, that's not technically true, since I did run the Salem Lake 30K last year, but with packed dirt and gravel and a paved section, that was more a hybrid than a trail race on Lake Norman.

I had seen these cool graphics from the folks at Vagabond Endurance and when Gabe suggested I should try, I was tempted. The deal was any number of loops around a ~5.5 mile trail that had to be completed in under 4 hours. When Jeff offered a discount code I could use, I was sold! Even if all I did was run 1 loop. I would have earned my swag and the custom medal. 

A whole bunch of folks from the Carolina Beer Temple run club had also signed up to (or volunteering for) this race. I got a starting, smiling picture.

When it rained every single evening for the past 4 days, I wondered what the trail would be like! Looks like Thor had been actively promoting his lousy new movie - love and thunder, but thankfully decided to show his love face than the thunder hammer this Saturday morning. 

It was a typical day in July in the south - warm with 75 degrees in the morning, quickly jumping  to high 80s by noon and then topping at 93. The humidity was absolutely insane, weather reports said it was 80% but it was muggy and felt a bit like a swamp. I decided modesty had little role to play and took off my fully drenched shirt after the very first loop. 

This was my first 'timed" race. The deal is simple: there's a loop - in this case, the lake trail which is about 5.5 miles and approximately 475 ft of elevation gain. The course is clay and lots of roots, but for most part, drained well, so there were not as many slippery muddy spots. However the rains made the roots extra slippery.

The swag consists of a graphic t-shirt with the mythic mayhem theme. Yes, the t-shirt is absolutely gonna be one I wear and show off. 

I figured I would calculate based on the first loop. When I completed that in under 70 minutes averaging just over 12:3
0 a mile (yes, the speed slows significantly when you run over rolling hills, roots and also have to jump off a fallen tree), I felt I was comfortably going to get 3 loops in. I also met this duo from Fort Braggs and this chap who runs at Legion brewing and we ran nearly 3 miles together and chatted the entire time. 

The 2nd loop was faster, I didnt have company and I was listening to "Born to Run" audiobook was I ran. felt that would be consistent with the theme of an ultra!

After a 5 minute break, with just over 90 minutes to go, I felt bold about the 3rd loop. Boy, was I wrong! The heat and the humidity started impacting and I walk/ran the 3rd & 4that a 16 minute pace. I picked up speed after that. I had kept my heart rate in the 155 range earlier, but it stayed above 160 the entire time on the 3rd loop. 

The best part of the race was the camaraderie. It was the first trail race for many of us. A few falls and bruises did not dampen the spirits and most of us met our personal goals. 

I missed a few folks from the running club who came to run, volunteer or cheer, but here's most of us!